THE HARE. 
25 
u The Lepus Hibernicus is, in a wild state, easily distinguished from the Lepus 
timidus, by its shorter ears, differently coloured fur, and by the whiteness of the 
upper surface of its tail. The last-named distinction can rarely be observed 
except in parks where the animals are preserved, and where, admitting of a 
near approach, they move gently off ; but in such places the difference is very 
obvious. 
“ Some sporting friends, who, from coursing much, both in Ireland and Scot- 
land, have had ample opportunities of observing the difference between the two 
species before greyhounds, consider that in an open country the Irish hare goes 
off faster from the dogs than the Scotch, and is thus less likely to be killed at 
the first dash : in other respects their speed is equal. This was remarked in 
similar ground in both countries, and with the same greyhounds. It has like- 
wise been stated by these gentlemen, that, when wounded by the gun, the Scotch 
is more easily captured than the Irish species. It is probable that under both 
circumstances the difference may be owing to the hare in the Irish counties, in 
which my friends sport, being more persecuted, and consequently more on the 
alert against her enemies; and I speak from personal knowledge of both 
countries. 
“With respect to the points of economy to ’which allusion has not already 
been made, and to habits generally, there is a very great similarity between the 
two species. Thus the places selected for the 4 form’ are the same, as are those 
for the reception of the young ; the number of the latter, except in extraordinary 
cases, being four or five. By intelligent gamekeepers both are considered to 
produce five times in the course of the year. When the parent has been killed, 
I have seen the young extracted with their eyes full open, and within the first 
hour of their untimely birth able to run about. Towards the end of their third 
week, the leverets are said to be independent of their parent ; and at this time, 
what Daniel, in his Rural Sports, remarks of the English hares, equally applies 
to the Irish, — that ‘ when we meet with one young hare we are almost certain of 
finding more within a small distance.’ 
“ The Irish hare changes its quarters according to the weather, leaving situ- 
ations exposed to cold winds for more sheltered places. 
“ In the choice of food I am not aware of any difference between the two 
species. In the severity of winter, when the Irish hares betake themselves to 
the flower-garden, the delicate leaves of the pink or carnation are especial 
favourites; in the kitchen-garden, parsley and the more tender varieties of cab- 
bage, young plants of the cauliflower and broccoli being preferred to any of the 
coarser kinds ; and in young plantations, consisting of an average number of 
species of deciduous forest trees, I have particularly remarked their predilection 
for the oak, not another species being touched until the whole of these had been 
first barked. 
“ Mr. Bell observes that the English hare ‘ swims well, and takes the water 
readily, not for the purpose of escaping from pursuit merely, but for the sake of 
obtaining a plentiful supply of food.’ This applies equally well to the Irish 
hare, with the exception of the last clause of the sentence, for which I cannot 
vouch, though I have no doubt of its accuracy also, a friend, when quietly 
angling, having once observed a hare, that was quite undisturbed, enter and swim 
across a deep pool of a mountain-stream, though by going a very short way 
lower down she could have passed in the usual manner. 
“ When collecting marine productions, in company with Mr. Hyndman, 
about the entrance to Strangford Lough, in January, 1835, we, at different 
times in one day, started two hares that were lying very far out upon low rocks, 
upon which marine plants only vegetated.; and had one of them remained undis- 
turbed for only a few minutes, longer, she would, without resorting to swimming, 
have been cut off from the mainland until the tide had ebbed, the rocks being 
insulated for at least the half of every twelve hours. 
“Were such instances as the one mentioned of the hare swimming across 
the stream, rather than go a short way about, general (which they are not as- 
serted to be), it would seem that, when undisturbed, this animal has less aver- 
